About
Our Mission
MediaFile publishes news about the news: We’re a digital outlet exploring Washington-based reporting up close, and tracking the industry as a whole. MediaFile is an editorially and financially-independent project created by students at The George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs (SMPA).
Our output is objective journalism, supplemented by subjective opinions, editorials, critiques, columns, and op-eds. MediaFile’s stories are written, edited, and curated by college students across the country.
Our Principles
MediaFile is a journalistic publication. Our stories are embedded with a passion for journalism and the crucial role it plays on our modern society. Our existence hinges on the belief that the friction between powerful institutions and the independent press is imperative for the success and maintenance of democracy. Thus, our publication celebrates new and evolving realities in journalism. We will also cover shortcomings, or failures, in ethics, coverage, and business practices. Accountability is an indispensable tenet of journalism. News media have an obligation to readers to present the news with fairness and honesty. As we will monitor accountability in the outlets we cover, we will strive for accountability in our own reporting.
Fairness, Honesty, Accuracy, and Completeness
MediaFile’s goal is to tell the untold stories in media. Our coverage seeks to tell fair, honest, accurate, and complete stories. Fairness: We strive to acknowledge all sides of a given issue in our reporting. We must take on a given story with open-mindedness and consideration for the multitude of views present in every debate. We will request interviews and statements from all sides of a debate, and publish when a source ignores or declines request for comment. Our stories are most powerful when all views are represented and expressed. Honesty and Accuracy: Our reporting will be original and truthful. All stories will be checked for plagiarism before publication, as no ounce of plagiarism is acceptable. Any conflict of interest that diverts the typical writing or editing process will be detailed with a link to an explanation elsewhere on the website. Writers and editors will not be permitted to write or edit stories about previous employers paid or unpaid. All reporting will be edited by at least two editors, including stories written by editors or the Editor-in-Chief. Any errors detected after publication will be added via a correction at the bottom of the article. Every update or correction will be stamped with a time and date. Completeness: MediaFile is dedicated to the story – the full story. Our reporting will be published only when complete. Completion implies fact-checking, editing, plagiarism checking, and a pursuit of all relevant information. We will not hesitate to publish if a source denies or ignores a request for comment; however, we will halt publication if crucial reporting is absent or necessary interviews have not been requested.
Transparency
MediaFile aspires to lead by example. We strive to be as transparent as any news outlet we cover.
Our masthead – including a full staff and contributor list – is publicly accessible on our website and contact information is available for all editorial board members.
Our financial backing will be publicly available on our website. Funding from The George Washington University, as well as from each of our individual donors and corporate sponsors, will be detailed with date and amount on our website. Anonymity in donation will be discouraged, but accepted.
As previously stated, we will explain any variation in the writing or editing process due to conflicts of interest.